Clarifying Troy Murphy talk: Trade no way, buyout maybe

1) The Spurs are unlikely to actively pursue Murphy before the trade deadline. Since the Spurs are over the salary cap, league rules prohibit them from adding salary via trade. As such, if the Spurs were to trade for Murphy, they would have to send out as much payroll as they take in. Murphy makes $11.9 million. It isn’t a matter of just packaging low-priced spare parts, like James Anderson and Tiago Splitter. The Spurs would have to give up more than that. Much more. To the point where it because too high a price to pay for Troy Murphy.

2) If the Spurs do have interest in Murphy, it is likely to come after the Feb. 24 trade deadline. If the Nets can’t move him and his expiring contract before then, most likely to a team looking to shed payroll heading into the new collective bargaining agreement, New Jersey could agree to buy out Murphy’s contract. That would allow the Nets to save some money on the remainder of Murphy’s deal, and would allow Murphy to become a free agent in search of a new home. In the past, this is the process the Spurs used to come by veterans like Glenn Robinson, Damon Stoudemire and Drew Gooden for the stretch run. There’s a chance Murphy could join the list, but we probably won’t know until after the trade deadline.